Secrets -- What Could Have Been
by shinedown
Summary: Contains a crap load of oneshots and "what ifs" for my fanfic Secrets. Take a look if you like. Ideas are always appreciated and welcomed.


Author's Note: It's 11 in the morning and I should be sleep. However, because of my insomnia, and my sudden need to do some hardcore writing, I'm wide-awake giving you this very shittily planned Zero/Rin fanfic. I kid you not, I'm like yawning my ass off right now, but my body's just like "What's sleep? How do?" and I'm just "oh my jegus, let me sleep already! See, this is why we can't have nice things!" Whatever. Going to make some goddamn coffee later so I can zone the fuck out after an episode of "shine gets hyper" or something. I'm sorry for all the foul language, I curse when I get excited or very upset. And a tired shinedown is not a very happy shinedown. Or a very nice one, for that matter. I don't even care if I get reviews or anything, I just wanna get this shit out of my head so I can finally take my ass to sleep ;/ R&R if you wish, I guess.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Grand Chase, there would be badass boss fights, some hotsprings cutscenes, and more events than you know what to do with. But, since I don't you'll just have to get over it and just keep on wishing.

Because I love you

Written by: shinedown

(Another thing to point out, this was one of many "what if" scenarios for Secrets. I'll probably just dump them all somewhere for you all to read.)

If Zero spoke honestly, he was a very lucky man. Lying cuddled up to him was a girl who had accepted him for who he was. She was the only one who had seen him without his mask, who had acknowledged Gran and even tried asking things for the false entity to answer. Not the type to play tricks, she had been very honest and forward in her confession to him, and had even told him that it was okay if he didn't feel the same. Things change in time, and who knew if he would feel the same for her or not. He did, and boy did he have it hard for her.

His home, which had been a pigsty before the girl pretty much became his nanny, was pristine. His clothes were folded and put up in his dresser or hung up in the closet, he could actually _see_ the floor, and the kitchen, which had been emitting a strange odor for the past few years, was actually serviceable. She came over every morning and cooked breakfast for the two of them and prepared lunch, ironed his clothes and was basically a perfect wife. Any guy would be lucky to have her. When he said this, she blushed heavily and looked away. Zero had thought it was cute though. He'd never once thought anyone would even put up with his mess, or even if anyone would bother cleaning it. He'd given up a long time ago when his grandfather Oz died.

Oz Pone Max Reinhardt was what people would call a Mad Scientist. Having developed the theory for cloning humans successfully, he worked himself to the bone to perfect it and produce results similar, or even better, than Zero. Or course, Zero had always known he was just a clone. He was reminded of it daily just by seeing his Original floating in a glass tube. More clones were attempted, but most didn't survive the fetal stage. Those that did, formed anomalies and were disposed of. Grandpa Oz had called him "perfect" and "worthy of the Nobel Prize". He didn't feel like it though. He felt like a stand in for the boy whose place he was forced to take. Just a replica of the old fool's real grandson, who lay dying in a tube of chemicals.

Because of this, Zero formed a complex about his body and took to wearing a mask to hide his face. If people knew who he was, then questions would be asked and he would be forced to try and remember things, memories that weren't truly his. He also took created an imaginary friend he called Grandark. Oz had asked him whom he was mumbling to once, and when Zero had answered honestly, the old man looked at him with such eyes that made the boy feel like a failure. Crestfallen, Oz began to fear that even Zero too had formed anomalies and needed to be disposed of. Mumbling such words like "it doesn't make sense!" or "he was perfect! PERFECT!" and sometimes even "how could this happen?"

Zero had never before in his life felt such guilt. He wanted to run away then, some place where Oz would never see him again, but the old man's health was degrading anyway, and soon his death came. Zero hadn't been all that surprised, though he didn't know what to do with the lab. The bills had to be paid somehow, and because of all the machines running at all times, the bill was rather high. He took to inventing, building things that his grand father had blueprints for and selling them. Those that were marks with warning stamps he didn't touch, but his "projects" folder seemed to have no end in sight.

He told all of this to Rin before revealing his face to her. Rin was in tears, but had done little else but take his face in her hands and plant a soft kiss on his lips. Overwhelmed, Zero returned the kiss, though he had no idea what he was doing. From there, things heated up and now here he was, alabaster hair sliding from his fingertips as he lazily played with it. Rin was pressed tightly against him for warmth, so much so that he could smell the exotic shampoo she always used. It had a really sweet smell, like some kind of fruit. His stomach growled at that thought, and he chuckled softly. "Later. Let her sleep for now." Zero muttered to his stomach. Silence greeted him, and a slight shift brought his attention to the exposed neck of the girl lying against him. Grinning somewhat, he leaned down, whispering in her ear, "You really ought not to tempt me," before taking full advantage of his prize.

… … … … …

Rin blushed heavily as she sat across the bed from Zero, seated with her legs crossed, though the blanket covered her lower half. He had given her one of his shirts before she got up, and she quickly scrambled to the other side of the bed once it was on. Zero, though confused by the display, chuckled. "I-it's not funny! I-I only said one time! One! B-b-but when I wake up, you're doing things to my neck and then…"

"I don't see what the deal is. You're the one that left your neck open. It's not my fault I found one of your weak points." Zero countered, shrugging his shoulders. Rin's blush darkened and she threw him a heated glare. Instead of having the desired effect, however, it only made her look that much cuter. Zero sighed. "Okay, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done it. Am I forgiven?"

Nodding very slightly, Rin ducked under the covers and made her way back over to Zero. He held her in a loose hug, and she leaned against him, a coy smile on her face as she thought of something evil she could say. Before debating if she should actually say it, it already slipped from her lips, however, and she could do nothing to stop it. "It wasn't as bad as the first time, at least."

Zero just stared. Rin stared back. "Come again?"

"You heard me."

"And suddenly you're the expert now?"

"…I have horny old women in my family, Zero. I know a lot more about it than I'm pretty sure someone my age most likely should." Zero, acknowledging her point, remained silent. It was quiet for a while, and eventually Zero fell asleep, this time it was he who cuddled up to her. Rin smiled, letting her hands roam through his hair for a while. She found the straps to his mask and quickly unbuckled them, slipping it off his face and tossing it aside. Sliding down so that they were face to face, she wrapped his arms about her waist and squeezed in tight.

While Zero slept, she had a lot to think about, though most of it were the years they had spent together up til now. No doubt they had had many bumps along the road, and they even had their share of hard times and arguments. It had been just as draining on her as it most likely had been on him. No doubt he was wondering why she stayed, even after the months he spent ignoring her and avoiding every chance to be with her. Sure, she had been close to giving up on him and walking away, but something had compelled her to keep going. To not give up on him. Now, she wasn't naïve, but she had been taught that all people and all things were to be given the benefit of the doubt.

She stayed because, deep down, there was no one else for her. She loved him, and hoped she could convey her feelings to him properly one day. Even if she practically screamed it in the little things she did for him, she wanted to do something big for him, something that would make it unmistakable to the taller teen that she wasn't going anywhere and fully intended to stay in his life for good.

With a kiss on his forehead and another on his nose, Rin sighed and closed her eyes. Unaware that the boy had been pretending this whole time, she said, "You're slow sometimes, but I don't mind at all. I love you, Zero Zephyrum. I just wish I knew how to show you." Cheeks aflame in a bright blush, and a big grin spreading across his face, Zero pulled the girl closer.

"I love you too," he mumbled, surprising the girl. However, before she could ask him how he had known what she said, he was already asleep. Rin smiled, deciding that sleep was probably the best thing for her brain at the moment.


End file.
